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Best Dark Souls III settings for the NVIDIA GT 1030 (GDDR5) (2026)

On a NVIDIA GT 1030 (GDDR5) (paired with a balanced Intel Core i5-8600K-class CPU), Dark Souls III runs at roughly 45 FPS at 1080p with our optimized settings — up from about 20FPS with everything maxed. Here's the configuration and what each setting costs.

The NVIDIA GT 1030 (GDDR5) is a entry-level graphics card with 2GB of VRAM, and Dark Souls III is a relatively light game to run. Paired with the Intel Core i5-8600K, it is playable at 1080p — about 45 FPS with FrameCoach's optimized settings, a clear jump from roughly 20 FPS with everything on High.

Across resolutions you can expect around 45 FPS at 1080p and 27 FPS at 1440p, dropping to roughly 15 FPS at 4K. The biggest free win is FSR upscaling — set it to Quality for a large FPS boost at little visual cost.

ResolutionAll-High FPSOptimized FPS
1080p2045
1440p1227
4K715
💡 Dark Souls III: Locked to 60 FPS - aim for a steady 60; runs easily on modern hardware.
🚀 Biggest free win: enable FSR (Balanced) — about +55% FPS for a small sharpness trade.
Recommended settings
Upscaling — FSRBalanced+55% FPS
Render resolution scaling is the biggest GPU-side lever — though Dark Souls III is locked to 60 FPS and runs easily on modern hardware.
Lighting QualityLow+10% FPS
Lighting detail across the world — the heaviest setting here. High is nearly identical to Max while running faster.
Shadow QualityLow+9% FPS
Shadow resolution and range. High is a strong step down from Max.
Effects QualityLow+7% FPS
Spells, fire and combat effects. Drops most during boss fights — High keeps it steady.
SSAOOff+6% FPS
Soft contact shading. Medium is a cheap, good-looking middle ground.
Water SurfaceLow+5% FPS
Reflection and detail on water. Medium is plenty.
Anti-AliasingOff+4% FPS
Smooths jagged edges for very little cost. Leave it on.
Texture QualityMaxbaseline
Surface sharpness — nearly free if it fits your VRAM.

⚡ Fine-tune this for your exact CPU & target FPS →

🎯 Can the NVIDIA GT 1030 (GDDR5) run Dark Souls III? See the verdict →

Dark Souls III on other GPUs
Other games on the NVIDIA GT 1030 (GDDR5)
Frequently asked

What FPS does the NVIDIA GT 1030 (GDDR5) get in Dark Souls III?

With FrameCoach's optimized balanced settings, the NVIDIA GT 1030 (GDDR5) averages around 45 FPS at 1080p in Dark Souls III — up from about 20 FPS with everything on High.

Can the NVIDIA GT 1030 (GDDR5) run Dark Souls III at 1440p?

At 1440p with optimized settings, the NVIDIA GT 1030 (GDDR5) averages roughly 27 FPS in Dark Souls III; turn on upscaling or aim for a locked 60 for the best feel.

What are the best Dark Souls III settings for the NVIDIA GT 1030 (GDDR5)?

Turn on FSR (Balanced), keep ray tracing off for maximum FPS, and ease the heaviest options like Lighting Quality and Shadow Quality down a notch. The full per-setting breakdown is above.

FPS figures are estimates from a generalized model (hardware tier × game load × per-setting weights), not live benchmarks — real performance varies by scene, drivers and game version.